Stearyl alcohol is a sterilized alcoholic solution, typically based on 70% ethanol or 70% isopropanol, produced under controlled, aseptic conditions to be free from microorganisms and suspended particles.
It is widely recognized as a rapid and effective disinfectant in medical, laboratory, pharmaceutical, and industrial environments.

Chemical Structure of Stearyl alcohol

Active Ingredient:
Ethanol (CH₃CH₂OH, CAS No. 64-17-5) or Isopropanol (CH₃CHOHCH₃, CAS No. 67-63-0)
Carrier:
Sterile distilled water, maintaining a disinfectant concentration of 70–75% (v/v)
Solution Structure:
A clear, homogeneous, and microbe-free solution capable of penetrating bacterial cell walls during phospholipid disruption
Optimal Concentration (70%) is used for maximum disinfectant efficacy, enabling effective penetration of microbial proteins and cell membranes.

Physical and Chemical Properties

Property	Description / Value
Appearance	Colorless or slightly tinted liquid with a characteristic alcoholic or mildly aromatic odor
Boiling Point	Ethanol: 78.2 °C • Isopropanol: ~82.6 °C
Solubility	Completely miscible with water and many organic solvents
Flash Point	Low (highly flammable)
Sterility	Filtered (e.g., through 0.2 μm membranes) and sometimes gamma-irradiated
Microbial Load	None — sterile and particle-free

Applications of Stearyl alcohol

Pre-injection and surgical skin disinfection
Disinfection of medical and laboratory equipment surfaces
Ingredient in hand sanitizing gels and solutions
Sterilization of biomedical and laboratory instruments
Surface disinfection in pharmaceutical and vaccine production lines
Cleaning and sanitizing cosmetic and medical devices
Use in highly controlled industrial or biomedical environments, such as operating rooms and biosafety laboratories (BSL-2/3)